Tag Archives: sbx

Did you know that the average Inland Empire commuter spends almost 60 hours each year in traffic? That’s like a week and a half of vacation time!

California celebrates alternative modes of transportation during Rideshare Week, happening October 3-7 this year! It’s the perfect opportunity to change up your daily commute to work or simply enjoy a leisurely outing around town in a new way.

Omnitrans is making it easy for you to participate this year and reduce your time in traffic with a FREE ride on our buses, redeemable any day and any time during Rideshare Week! This offer is redeemable on Omnitrans, sbX, or OmniGo.

Mobile App CouponIf you haven’t already, download the Omnitrans mobile app on your device and click the ‘Free Ride’ tab to obtain the digital coupon. Simply show your bus driver the coupon when you board any day between October 3 and 7. The driver will then issue you one free day pass which you may use for unlimited rides on that day only. Digital app coupons may be redeemed one per customer.

Print CouponYou may also download and print the Omnitrans free ride coupon directly from our website. Hand the coupon to your bus driver upon boarding any day between October 3 and 7, and they will issue you a free day pass for unlimited rides that day. Print coupons may be redeemed one per customer.

Rideshare Week Prize DrawingsIE Commuter, the Inland Empire’s one-stop shop for transportation information, is a great resource for information about ridesharing and the benefits of sustainable transportation methods including riding the bus, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, walking and telecommuting.When you ride during Rideshare Week, you may enter to win prizes including an Ashley Furniture living room set, a one night stay at Palm Springs’ Ace Hotel & Swim Club, gift cards, and more! Simply visit www.IEcommuter.org to pledge your rideshare today, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing.

Ridesharing has proven to positively impact the individual’s finances and quality of life, as well as promote environment sustainability. Take the pledge today, enter to win prizes, and enjoy your free ride on Omnitrans this Rideshare Week 2016!

The Coyotes are back on campus at Cal State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) this fall for the new school year, and Omnitrans’ Go Smart program continues to make navigating college life easier for students in our service area!

Students at GoSmart schools are entitled to unlimited rides during the school year, with just a simple swipe of their valid student ID card. And they can ride not only on school days, but any day and time of the week! For a complete list of partner schools, click here.

Rosa, an English major, at the CSUSB sbX station. She is working toward becoming a teacher in her hometown of San Bernardino as a way of giving back to her community.

Rosa, a fifth-year English major at the university, takes advantage of the unlimited rides available to her as a GoSmart student every single day of the week. She has been riding Omnitrans the majority of her time at CSUSB, and it has proven to be a wallet-friendly choice.

“I totally ditched my car and left it at home,” says Rosa, who has a car she could drive to school every day, but has found that riding Omnitrans is the more convenient, money-saving option for her. “I don’t have to pay for a parking pass, which is really expensive.”

Rosa began riding our fixed-route system, but when sbX rapid transit service was introduced , she has not only continued to save money, but also time since the bus makes fewer stops. “Now that there is sbX, which is faster, I don’t have to wait to get home,” Rosa shares. “It has cut my [commute] time by more than half.”

Similarly, chemistry major Joseph Barrera relies on Omnitrans for transportation to school every weekday.

“This is how I get here from Redlands every day,” says Joseph of Go Smart. “It’s pretty good!”

Riding Omnitrans from downtown Redlands, Joseph connects to the sbX Green Line at the San Bernardino Transit Center daily as he completes his third year of schooling. Joseph is not alone – many of his peers also utilize public transportation as they work toward achieving their academic goals.

Go Smart students boarding Route 2 at CSUSB.

“Omnitrans’ four routes with direct service to CSUSB are essential to student success,” says Thomas W. Gaffery, director of parking & transportation at CSUSB. “The GoSmart program allows our students to save money on gas and a parking permit, as well as enhancing CSUSB’s commitment to sustainability.”

If you’re like us, you can’t wait for next week’s 101st National Orange Show (NOS) Citrus Fair in San Bernardino – who doesn’t love carnival rides, cool vintage displays, and fair food? To make the Fair even better, Omnitrans has teamed up with NOS to offer $2 discount coupons onboard!

While supplies last, simply ride any East Valley Omnitrans route (1 – 29, sbX, 290), and you’ll find coupons for a $2 discount on NOS Citrus Fair admission at the front of the bus. Coupons are good every day of the “Blast from the Past”-themed Fair, April 20 – 24.

Omnitrans provides direct service to the NOS fairgrounds via Route 2 and the sbX Green Line. sbX operates every 10 to 15 minutes on weekdays. Route 2 runs hourly on weekdays, and every 20 minutes on weekends.

Additionally, 13 other bus routes connect to sbX and Route 2 at the San Bernardino Transit Center, just a mile away from the fairgrounds. Detailed bus schedules and an online trip planner are available at: www.omnitrans.org/schedules/. For personalized assistance in English and Spanish, call 1-800-966-6428.

Because we don’t want to miss the fun, Omnitrans will have “Old Blue,” its vintage 1958 GMC bus, on display at the fair on Saturday and Sunday. Stop by to take a photo with Old Blue and Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe (at least their cardboard versions)! Photos posted online with #OmniRetro will be entered into an Omnitrans photo contest. Stay tuned for more details!

Many of our bus passengers have fantastic stories to share about their lives. Take Refugio Salazar. I caught up with him at the sbX Civc Center staton in downtown San Bernardino.

Refugio is going back to school to get his GED and then plans to attend Valley College.

“I’d like to train as a car mechanic,” he tells me. “I used to work on cars all the time, and I’m pretty good at it. But now the diagnostic equipment is all computerized, so I need to get familiar with that.”

As we talk, I tell him I write stories about our passengers. His eyes light up and he laughs. “I’ve got a story for you. I’ve almost died twice in my life.”

“The first time I was just three-years-old,” he continues. “I was out in the yard and my father was mowing the lawn. The lawnmower blade hit an old silverware spoon that was on the ground. It flew up in the air and lodged in my skull. My parents were scared to death. The doctors told them I would likely have some brain damage since the edge of the spoon was just touching the brain when they extracted it.”

He shrugs and smiles. “I beat the odds though, and never had a problem with that. As you can see, I’m doing pretty well.”

“How did you almost die the second time?” I asked curiously.

“I was transporting produce in a truck down Mount Baldy Road when I suddenly lost my brakes. I was going about 50 miles per hour and coming up on a steep curve with no way of slowing the vehicle. My choice was to either crash into the side of the hill or take my chances making that curve at high speed,” he shakes his head, remembering. “I choose the curve.”

“As I made a hard turn into the curve something amazing happened. The truck swerved, tipped onto the shoulder and then stopped. It just stopped. For no reason.” Refugio pauses, a look of wonderment on his face. “I’m convinced that someone was looking out for me that day. For some reason God chose to save me.”

Calling all foodies! The San Bernardino Third Thursday Food Fest is June 18th from 11:00-2:00 outside City Hall. Visit your favorite food truck or try out something new!

As a thank you to our riders, sbX passengers disembarking at the Civic Center Station across from the event between 11:00 and 2:00 will receive $5 vouchers towards a meal from any food truck or food vendor!

Want to indulge without the guilt? The Greenz on Wheels food truck features healthy sandwiches, wraps, and salads. From Chinese chicken salad, tuna salad, steak salad, veggie salad, Greek salad and more, they have something to fit every taste.

Los Lobos Truck, 2014 Winnerof the Best LA area food truck, will bring their sensational ribs, salads, wachos, and more. Be sure to try their famous Green Dragon Wachos!

What could be more refreshing on a hot day than a delicious saved ice treat from Sweet’n Snowie? Buy a cup of shaved ice, and head over to the Flavor Station to pick your flavor. Mix and match as much as you want to make your own signature creation!

If hot dogs and brats are your thing, head over to The Greasy Weiner and try one of their award-winning original handmade hot dogs and sausages. They also offer vegetarian options, specialty fries, and sliders!

Are you ready for the last giveaway of our sbX anniversary week? Join us at the Court Street station between 1:00 and 3:00 tomorrow to get a free Regal Cinema ticket! We only have 100, so arrive early to get yours while supplies last.

But wait–there’s more! You can also enter our sbX Anniversary Sweepstakes for a chance to win the Grand Prize: free bus passes for a year, dinner for four, cinema tickets for four, and four IE 66ers baseball tickets. Click here to sign up for the prize drawing. Good luck!